CHINA. The Moodie Davitt Report’s weekly WeChat Official Account continues to develop its presence in the key China travel retail market.
The title, published every Monday, is published under the direction of Penelope Zhou, our Hong Kong-based Chinese Editor, and company Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie, also based in Hong Kong.
The Moodie Davitt Report is the only international travel retail media title to offer a WeChat platform. Moodie Davitt WeChat now has 1,443 followers, excellent and growing penetration in a niche sector and a complement to the strong Chinese readership of our English language platform.
For editorial or native content enquiries please contact Publisher Irene Revilla at Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com.
Here are some highlights of the past two editions.
L’Oréal Travel Retail Asia Pacific hosts multi-brand party at Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex
There were plenty of newsworthy stories from Hainan Tourism Investment Duty Free Co (HTDF), which has hosted several major campaigns in the last few weeks.
L’Oréal Travel Retail Asia Pacific partnered with HTDF and Lagardère Travel Retail China to host a digitally-driven multi-brand ‘Summer Beauty Duty Free Party’ at the Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex (海旅免税城) in downtown Sanya, Hainan.
The activation ran throughout August and featured a bold takeover of the giant 842sq m LED screen at the shopping complex. This displayed a series of hyper-realistic 3D visuals from Kiehl’s, Biotherm and Helena Rubinstein. The striking visuals invited travellers to visit the Summer Beauty Duty Free Party pop-up space on Level 4.
The pop-up showcased several beauty tech innovations and services. It also featured a suite of retailtainment elements to immerse shoppers in the worlds of Kiehl’s, Biotherm and Helena Rubinstein.
Customers could seamlessly purchase products from all three brands through the scan of a QR code and collect their purchases at the airport. They were also able to shop all three brands on the HTDF-exclusive ‘Perfect Shopping List Builder’ and on Lagardère Travel Retail China’s WeChat Mini Programme.
Kenzo, Lagardère and HTDF team up for blooming Kenzoki skincare pop-up
In another striking triple collaboration, HTDF and Lagardère Travel Retail also teamed up with LVMH-owned fashion and beauty house Kenzo to open a dazzling Kenzoki Skincare pop-up at the Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex.
The activation, the brand’s first pop-up on the island, is located on the 4th floor Beauty Island and will run until the end of February 2022.
It highlights the relaunched Kenzoki Skincare line which now features a minimum of 90% natural origin ingredients. The line has three collections: Youth Flow, Hydration Flow and Nourishing Flow.
Kenzoki skincare was inspired by the traditional Chinese and Japanese concept of ‘Qi’ which is a flow of energy that circulates throughout nature and the universe
The activation offers a Skin Diagnosis tool, available in both English and Chinese, which delivers tailormade Kenzoki skincare rituals in under two minutes.
Customers can also enjoy a hand yoga or face yoga session.
Hainan Tourism Investment Duty Free Co marks three key festivals with big promotional campaign
Th retailer also launched a major autumn campaign which features a series of discounts at the Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex from 15 September to 16 October. The campaign celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival and other National Day holidays, as well as the retailer’s own newly created HTDF 919 Shopping Festival.
During the ‘three festivals’ promotional period, shoppers can receive a CNY500 (US$77) cash voucher for every CNY1,000 (US$154) spent on beauty or fragrance products. Consumers can also enjoy up to -70% off on other duty free items. The offers are available both online and offline.
On top of such in-store promotions, additional discounts are available to those using payment methods linked to HTDF’s banking partners.
HTDF hits the right notes with singing contest
HTDF continues to hit all the right notes in Hainan as the retailer hosts a singing contest promotion to drive awareness to the Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex.
The campaign, which runs from 4 September to 5 October, invites residents and tourists to come and perform karaoke at the complex.
Those interested in participating in the singing contest can register via the HTDF official WeChat account and sign up for audition. The contest takes place every evening from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. Participants who have successfully uploaded the video of their live performances on WeChat, the Little Red Book or TikTok will each receive a complimentary souvenir.
On 5 October, the top 9 singers who have gotten the most likes across the three social media platforms will compete in the grand finale and be voted by the audience. The winner of the month-long competition will receive a grand prize worth CNY100,000.
Bvlgari Allegra Maxi Shelley makes global debut with CDFG
The WeChat update continued with another spectacular collaboration, this time in Haitang Bay, first revealed by The Moodie Davitt Report.
Italian luxury house Bvlgari unveiled a spectacular global premiere of the Bvlgari Allegra Maxi Shelley at the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex in partnership with China Duty Free Group (CDFG).
The special line of Maxi Shelleys was designed to complement and personalise the exclusive Bvlgari Allegra fragrance collection launched in Haitang Bay in January.
Bvlgari Allegra Maxi Shelley combines the Italian brand’s fragrance and silk heritage in a 360° luxury experience at CDFG which offers enhanced personalisation to accessorise the fragrance collection.
Customers at the CDF Mall can choose from an exclusive selection of Maxi Shelley silks to personalise their Bvlgari Allegra fragrances, opening a rainbow of styling opportunities. Each fragrance can be personalised by adding ‘Magnifying Essences’, including Rose, Bergamot, Patchouli, Vanilla and Musk.
With CDF Mall being the best-performing travel retail location for the Bvlgari Allegra fragrance collection, it was the perfect door to launch the Bvlgari Allegra Maxi Shelley line globally, the brand said in a strong affirmation of CDFG’s luxury credentials.
Rodenstock and CDFG shine the light on Porsche Design in Hainan
CDFG also partnered with eyewear specialist Rodenstock to highlight its Porsche Design brand with a high-profile promotion at the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haitang Bay.
The promotion underpins Rodenstock and CDFG’s ongoing partnership. It was launched on 1 July and will run until the end of September. It shines the light on Porsche Design’s Vision Drive lenses, Collector’s Edition and Reader’s Range.
The campaign is supported by special gifts and incentives with a Porsche Design Bobby Car, card holder and passport holder available as gifts with purchase.
ForwardKeys and Dragon Trail International upbeat about China domestic travel despite recent COVID-19-case counts
Despite recent COVID-19 outbreaks that raised fears of a travel slowdown over the Mid-Autumn Festival (21 September) and the National Day holidays from 1 October, ForwardKeys and Dragon Trail International have issued an upbeat view for China domestic travel.
The two travel data and research companies however noted that, in general, demand remains high for travel.
Dragon Trail International’s fourth Chinese Traveller Sentiment Survey found that more Chinese are resuming pre-pandemic travel behaviours, despite persistent concerns over safety.
43% of survey respondents said they would “travel cautiously,” up from 31% in Dragon Trail’s March 2021 survey. The proportion who said they wouldn’t travel dropped from 39% in March to 32%, while those who said they were “eager to travel” stayed the same at 20% of respondents.
ForwardKeys said that its latest travel analysis shows a rebound in Chinese domestic bookings for air travel since the recent outbreak of COVID-19.
